Angry Moyes condemns City in Lescott transfer saga

The 26-year-old defender has been linked with a big money move to City.

And Moyes, who has turned down two offers for the England international, has today criticised City boss Mark Hughes' transfer tactics.

He said: “There is no dialogue between us and Manchester City as far as I know.

“Maybe City are having dialogue with somebody else, but it is not between me and City.

“He (Hughes) said they were talking to people who make the decisions
here. Well he knows who makes the decisions at Everton and it is me.

“He has never once picked up the phone and given me a call, so he is
not going to get the answer. I am the one who makes the decisions here,
not like other clubs.

Mark Hughes

“It has disrupted us. They have been talking about it and we have not
been talking about the start of the season, that has been disruptive.
So maybe that is what the overall plan was.”

Everton turned down two bids, £15million and £18million, plus a written transfer demand from Lescott.

And Moyes has threatened that his position may become untenable if the defender were to leave.

He added: “I look back and see how Real Madrid did their business with
Manchester United (over Ronaldo). It was done at the tail end of the
season, and it was done quickly to allow United to buy if they wanted
to do so.

“We cannot be getting offers a week or two to go before the end of the
deadline. And the offers they made shows that we value Joleon Lescott
far higher than they do.

“Joleon is a massive player for us, we think so much of him and do not want to lose him.

“The players here think so much of him, and as a (coaching) staff we do.

“His head has been twisted and I cannot say the way things have been done is right, it is not how we do things at this club.

“But maybe their football club is different, I control things here, maybe it is not quite the same there.”

Moyes is still trying to sign Arsenal defender Philippe Senderos but
has ruled out a move for Newcastle’s Steven Taylor as too expensive.

Moyes added: “City are not talking to this club, certainly not me. They
know who to phone and that is me but it hasn’t happened. They must be
talking to the wrong people.

“It has not been handled correctly from over there (City). We do not do
our business in public, we would go to the right people to find out
what is happening.

“We have said all along that we do not want to sell Lescott. Most clubs
will have a price for a player, Manchester United had one for Ronaldo
and the business was done in the right way.

Joleon Lescott

“There is not a chance we will sell this close to the end of the
window, the offers were not big enough. We think the world of him, as a
centre-half and a left-back. He gives us two players in one.

“City paid £12million for Gareth Barry with one year left on his
contract. Lescott has four and half years on his contract left.”

Meanwhile Brazilian striker Jo has been included in Everton’s squad for the opening day fixture at home to Arsenal after recovering sufficiently from an ankle injury.

The Toffees are without long term injured players Phil Jagielka, Mikel Arteta, Ayegbeni Yakubu and Victor Anichebe.

Anichebe has suffered a setback in his recovery from an ankle injury that has put him back a month, while Yakubu has had a private run out in the reserves and is close to being fit.

Steven Pienaar has a knee injury and is doubtful, but Joleon Lescott, despite his persistent links with Manchester City, will play.